A food truck positioned at TechPark Noord with 300 employees consistently generates €280-€320 daily during peak months. Most operators misjudge their potential revenue by 40-60% in either direction. Understanding realistic turnover expectations prevents costly miscalculations.
Realistic daily turnover by business park type
Your food truck's turnover depends on how many people work there and what you sell. Here are realistic ranges:
- Small business park (50-200 employees): €150-€250 per day
- Medium park (200-500 employees): €250-€350 per day
- Large park (500+ employees): €300-€500 per day
💡 Example:
Business park with 300 employees, you sell lunch from 11:30-14:00:
- 15% of employees buy from you = 45 customers
- Average transaction: €8.50
- Daily turnover: 45 × €8.50 = €382.50
Realistic expectation: €300-€400 per day
Factors that determine your turnover
Your daily turnover is determined by these 4 factors:
- Number of employees: More people = more potential customers
- Competition: Canteen, other food trucks, nearby restaurants
- Average transaction: What does a customer order on average?
- Market share: What percentage chooses your truck?
⚠️ Note:
Never assume more than 20% market share. Many employees bring their own lunch or go to the canteen.
Calculating your potential turnover
Use this formula to calculate your expected daily turnover:
Daily turnover = Number of employees × Market share % × Average transaction
💡 Example calculation:
Business park with 400 employees:
- Market share: 12% (conservative)
- Customers per day: 400 × 0.12 = 48 customers
- Average transaction: €9.00
- Daily turnover: 48 × €9.00 = €432
At 5 days per week = €2,160 per week
What determines your average transaction?
Your average transaction depends on what you sell and how you price it:
- Sandwiches/wraps: €4.50-€7.50 per item
- Hot meals: €8.00-€12.00 per portion
- Drinks: €1.50-€3.00 per item
- Sides: €2.00-€4.00 per item
💡 Building your average transaction:
Customer orders:
- Healthy sandwich: €6.50
- Bottle of water: €2.00
- Total: €8.50
With upselling (chips added) this becomes €10.50
Seasons and working days
Your turnover varies by season and day of the week:
- Summer: 20-30% higher turnover (people eat more outdoors)
- Winter: 10-20% lower turnover (people stay inside)
- Monday/Tuesday: Often lower turnover
- Wednesday-Friday: Peak days
Costs and profitability
A daily turnover of €300 doesn't mean €300 profit. Calculate with these costs:
- Food cost: 25-35% of turnover
- Fuel: €15-25 per day
- Pitch fee: €20-50 per day
- Labor: Your own time + any help
⚠️ Note:
Always calculate with your worst days, not your best. A good day of €500 doesn't compensate for five bad days of €150 — that's the kind of thing you only learn after closing your first month at a loss.
Tips to increase your turnover
With these strategies you'll increase your daily turnover:
- Fixed times: Be there every day at the same time (routine)
- Loyalty: Loyalty card or regular customer discount
- Variety: Change your menu, keep it interesting
- Speed: Short wait times during lunch rush
How do you calculate your expected daily turnover? (step by step)
Count the number of employees on the park
Ask the manager how many people work there. Add up all the companies. This is your total market.
Estimate your market share conservatively
Assume a maximum of 15-20% of employees will buy from you. Many people bring their own lunch or go to the canteen.
Determine your average transaction
Calculate what a customer orders on average. Count main course + drink + any sides. Usually between €7-€12 for lunch.
Calculate your daily turnover
Multiply: Number of employees × Market share % × Average transaction = Expected daily turnover. Test this for a week to validate.
✨ Pro tip
Track your customer conversion rate during the first 3 weeks — if you're not hitting 12-15% of total employees by week 4, adjust your menu or pricing immediately.
Calculate this yourself?
In the KitchenNmbrs app you can do this in just a few clicks. 7 days free, no credit card.
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Frequently asked questions
What percentage of employees typically buy from a food truck?
On average 10-20% of employees buy from a food truck. This depends on competition (canteen, other trucks) and the quality of your offering.
What is a realistic average transaction for lunch?
For lunch the average transaction is between €7-€12. Sandwich + drink is often €8-€9, hot meal + drink €10-€12.
How many days per week can I operate at a business park?
Usually 4-5 days per week (Monday-Friday). Weekends have few employees. Always check the pitch rules with the manager.
What if my daily turnover is lower than expected?
Analyze your market share and average transaction. Maybe there's more competition or your prices are too high. Adjust your strategy after 2-3 weeks of data.
⚠️ EU Regulation 1169/2011 — Allergen Information — https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2011/1169/oj
The allergen information on this page is based on EU Regulation 1169/2011. Recipes and ingredients may vary by supplier. Always verify current allergen information with your supplier and communicate this correctly to your guests. KitchenNmbrs is not liable for allergic reactions.
In the UK, the FSA enforces allergen regulations under the Food Information Regulations 2014.
📚 Sources consulted
- EU Verordening 852/2004 — Levensmiddelenhygiëne (2004) — Official source
- EU Verordening 853/2004 — Hygiënevoorschriften voor levensmiddelen van dierlijke oorsprong (2004) — Official source
- EU Verordening 1169/2011 — Voedselinformatie aan consumenten (2011) — Official source
- NVWA — Hygiënecode voor de horeca (2024) — Official source
- NVWA — Allergenen in voedsel (2024) — Official source
- Codex Alimentarius — International Food Standards (2024) — Official source
- FSA — Safer food, better business (HACCP) (2024) — Official source
- BVL — Lebensmittelhygiene (HACCP) (2024) — Official source
- Warenwetbesluit Bereiding en behandeling van levensmiddelen (2024) — Official source
- WHO — Foodborne diseases estimates (2024) — Official source
Food Standards Agency (FSA) — https://www.food.gov.uk
The HACCP standards shown in this application are for informational purposes only. KitchenNmbrs does not guarantee that displayed values are current or complete. Always consult the FSA or your local authority for the latest regulations.
Written by
Jeffrey Smit
Founder & CEO of KitchenNmbrs
Jeffrey Smit built KitchenNmbrs from 8 years of hands-on experience as kitchen manager at 1NUL8 Group in Rotterdam. His mission: give every restaurant owner control over food cost.
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